Brassieres with openable bra cups have long been known in the prior art. These styles have always required some type of hooks, snaps, or other fastening means in order to open and close the bra cup. Such brassieres have been used for therapeutic, maternity, and nursing purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,530 issued to Witkower on Oct. 9, 1945, discloses a nursing brassiere with "openable" breast pockets. The pockets are formed by an openable flap, which has a hook on its upper end. The hook engages an adjustable loop on a shoulder strap in order to close the pocket.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,048, issued to Alberts on May 25, 1954, shows a similar arrangement. An outer layer of fabric is provided with a hook at its upper end. The hook engages a complementary element at the upper end of an inner layer of fabric or on the lower portion of the shoulder strap in order to close the cup. The inner layer of fabric has a substantially elliptical aperture so that the cup is, in fact, open when the hook is not engaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,856, 935, issued to Croxall on Oct. 21, 1958, shows a maternity and nursing brassiere with adjustable and detachable cups. This is accomplished using a 3-point detachable suspension arrangement. Corresponding hook and eye members provide the means of detachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,017, issued to Ramsell on Nov. 5, 1968, shows another similar brassiere with "openable" cups. The cups are secured into a closed position by engaging a cup loop on each flap with an associated buckle on a shoulder strap.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,682, issued to Defru on Apr. 22, 1969, shows a therapeutic brassiere in which the cups are not permanently attached or stitched at any point, but are completely removable. The cups are then attached to the body of the brassiere by means of Velcro strips.
Brassieres having zippered cups are also known. Such zippers can be used to attach separate pieces of bra cup material to each other and to open and close the cup.
All of the prior art brassieres have the disadvantage of requiring hooks, snaps, or other fastening means in order to close the bra cup. When a fastening means is required, it is generally necessary for a woman to use two hands to fasten or unfasten the fastening means. This is an especial disadvantage for a woman who is nursing as only one hand is normally free of her baby and often she does not have a convenient place to rest her baby.
Furthermore, hooks, snaps, or other fastening means can create laundering problems. Such fastening means can easily snag other garments or become detached during laundering. These and other disadvantages of prior art brassieres are obviated by the brassiere of the present invention, the construction of which is described below.